Westchester County, NY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Westchester County has experienced 32 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Storm And Flooding in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Westchester County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, inland flooding, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 321% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Westchester County has been designated in 32 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (11), flood (6), severe storm (6).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Flood | Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaias |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Henri |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2013 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sandy |
| 2011 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irene |
Showing the 10 most recent of 32 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 56.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98 | 126 | 5 | $92.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 94.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 96.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | 1 | 0 | $50K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.6 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Very High | 99.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very High | 97.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 90.3 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 97.6 | 1 | 0 | $20K |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 30.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Westchester County ranks in the 67th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 42nd | Low |
| Household characteristics | 38th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 86th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 94th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 25th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 37.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 146 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 28 in 2016–20 vs 118 in 2021–25 (+321% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Westchester County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Westchester County, New York are strong wind, inland flooding, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Westchester County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Westchester County has received 32 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (11 declarations).
Has Westchester County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Westchester County include Severe Storm And Flooding (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Westchester County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Bronx County, NY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Putnam County, NY has the lowest (Very Low). Westchester County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Westchester County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Westchester County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Westchester County's composite score of 96 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 96% of US counties.